Much ado over something! Just my jar of jam - life and all things Malaysia.
"BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD" - GANDHI

Thursday, January 11, 2007

This last Christmas was a real roller-coaster ride. Despite reminding myself not to get CAUGHT with the useless, and the unnecessary, I managed to contrive to do just that! And worse, with my better half at that! That helped set up a showdown at the O.K. Corrall... sort of!! But then, on the plus side, we were away for the traditional holiday by the beach in Tg. Bungah, Penang. We had the wine, women (WAGS & family.... in case you are wondering!) and the song! It was like Whitney Houston - "we almost had it all", ....almost.....

We had the occasion to polish off 2 bottles of Australian port, a six pack of some imported beer (can't remember what!), half a bottle of Chivas, which I found out much later to be fake! Now, just in case I've given the impression I'm the next candidate for Alcoholics Anonymous, let me re-assure you that this was a one off thing, and carried out with assorted family and friends. We drank, and made merry (or tried to, at least). Looking back now, I wonder how many of us were really there, PRESENT, enjoying the cup of intoxication as Kahlil Gibran would say, and how many were like me.... going through the motions, hoping to elevate the pain in me....

Henri Nouwen has this to say: "Before we drink the cup, we must hold it!"

I think: "....errr, that's so obvious, what!"

He says further: "All drinking is more than just drinking. You have to know WHAT you are drinking and have to be able to talk about it. Similarly, we have to KNOW what we are living. An unreflected life is NOT worth living".

Err....not only I have to drink, but then I have to TELL others?!... that would be committing suicide! But hang on, there's more.....

When we drink the cup without holding it, we may simply get drunk and wander around AIMLESSLY. Holding the cup is a HARD discipline. We have to hold our own cup. We have to dare to say, 'This is my life. The life given to me, and it is this life that I have to live as well as I can. No one else has the same challenge. I am alone because I am unique. Many people can help me live my life, but after all that is said and done, I have to make my own choices about how to live."